Pages

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Remembering and Honouring the Children of War

In St Paul's Cathedral below the dome is this art installation created by Ted Harrison to draw attention and remember children who have been conscripted and fought in adult wars.
At ground level the work appears as a white disc onto which poppies appear to have been scattered at random. From above the poppies form an image of three armed children. A boy from the first world war, a boy from recent conflicts in Africa and a girl from Asia.

Although Britain no longer sends anyone under the age of 18 to war many other countries do. An estimated 250,000 children worldwide are currently under military orders. Some as young as 9 years old. One third are girls.